My Life or Yours?
by animepunkgirl97
Summary: This is my alternative version of the LABB case. No Noami Misora  sorry, I like her but it doesn't fit my story  This would most likely be a prequel to a story of mine later on in the future. Rated T for safe NOT YAOI!


**Disclaimer: i do not own death note or their characters! **

Detective L wasn't always strange or emotionless like he was now; actually he was quite the opposite when he was little. Certain events from his past, like what his family did, were the reason he became the eccentric man he is today. Many would believe his family was 'normal,' but he grew up in a strange way. Though it was not true, it was not his fault he became the way he is.

**Reason for showing no emotions and for not sleeping:**

Yells, slapping, hitting and whimpers were heard throughout the whole building.

"YOU-hit-UNGRATEFUL- slap- CHILD- slap- YOU- hit- DON'T- slap- DESERVE- hit- TO LIVE!"

With each word said, the sound of skin colliding together was heard. L was biting back a whimper, the utterance of which would only cause more beatings, beatings from a man that he was supposed to call "father." Everyday the same thing happened, his father came home from work to beat his life out of him, for hours on end.

_He has stopped. He finally left, _L thought as happily he could. The treatment he received made him emotionless. His parents never showed any emotions towards him, only anger and disappointment.

"Why can't I be loved? When will I be loved, will someone ever love me?" L mumbled to himself.

His parents didn't even name him! L named himself, his favorite letter "L" as his first name and his last name as Lawliet. He didn't know why, but he just liked the name he chosen. L wanted to sleep, but nightmares of beatings appeared every time he closes his eyes. Thus causing him to be an insomniac boy.

**Reason for slouching and eating sweets: **

_No. Please don't…I… didn't mean to. I was starving! _Lawliet thought to himself when he heard his father's yells and footsteps coming to his cell-like room. L hadn't eaten in days and the first thing he found was a strawberry cake. He grew addicted to it, he wanted it all and in the end he did. Right then and there he fell in love with sweet things, however his parents wanted him to starve, eating food would cause him punishment, like what he is going to receive right now for eating the cake.

Lawliet's father hurled him over his shoulder, and opened the window.

"GOOD RIDDANCE, YOU FILTH!"

L opened his eyes, realizing he was falling from the second floor.

_No… I don't want to die! I'm…. too young! _L closed his eyes, and turned around, making his back facing the ground that was inching closer to him. Only a few minutes passed, which felt like eternity to Lawliet, he finally crashed onto the ground with a sickening thud.

_Am I alive? Or did my life finally end? _L opened his eyes, and sitting upward. However he was met with immense pain in his back. L slouched forward noting that the pain subsided when he did so. Knowing he would never get proper treatment for his back, he realized he'd probably stay like this, forever slouching. Whimpering every so often, L climbed into his tree house, wishing for a better life.

**Present **

This was how Detective L Lawliet came to be. After his father tried to kill the whole family, including himself, L knew what he wanted to do. He wanted to be a detective, and bring criminals to justice, something L's parents never were brought to. L never wanted anyone else to feel his pain of lost love and of torture. Thus hinting where he is today, solving the Los Angeles BB case (LABB for short), where a mass murderer tortured his victims in more ways than one.

The murderer brutally craved his initials into the chest of his victims. Most of the victims had some of their limbs cut off, but their whole body was covered with cuts from knives, bruises from a hammer and their face seemed to be covered by blood, though it turned out to be strawberry jam. All victims were drugged before their death. Nonetheless, each one died from different causes.

**L Lawliet's POV **

_This type of case was something I would've never taken to solve. However for some reason, I felt drawn towards it. My gut was telling me that this case would change my life, but how?_ Removing that thought for later, I quickly reached over to my plate to grab a sugar cube, but my hand was met with nothing. Blinking once or twice, I finally called for my assistance, Watari.

"Watari, may you please bring me more sugar cubes and coffee?" I ordered Watari in my monotone voice as usual. While waiting for Watari I decided to review the case files once again. There were only three victims so far. Each contained strange, yet unique names, in order they were killed in: Believe Bridesmaid, Quarter Queen and Backyard Bottomslash.

Just by looking at the names, I was reminded of my dead younger twin brother: Beyond Birthday. He only took one breath from this world and died. Unlike me, our "parents" named him, while I had to name myself. I would never know what he'll be like when he grows up, or how close we'll be.

Shaking my head to get the intrusive memories to go away. I reread the details of each victim.

"Here you go, sir." Watari spoken softly trying his best to not distract me from work as much as possible, and placed what I've asked for, down besides my keyboard.

I quickly nodded my head as a thank you and not long did I hear Watari's steps exit the room. Quietly mumbling to myself I read the files of the victims, "Believe Bridesmaid, 49 years old. He was drugged before his death, which was on July 31, 2002. After the murderer drugged him, they had choked him with a rope…. Even though the victim was already dead, he continued his torture. Hmmmm…. Apparently, he took his time in redressing him and slashing the chest several times. The arm had gone missing, left one to be exact. The police officers said they found four straw dolls pinned to the wall…." _Sip_.

Placing my coffee down after taking a sip, I mumbled, "That's quite interesting. Indeed it is…"

Scanning through the other victims pages to see if there was any more dolls in the next two scenes, sure enough there were dolls in the next ones. However, the second victim only had three dolls, and then the third had only two dolls.

"There is a 46% chance the dolls represent how many people are left to kill or be found. The first one had four, meaning we would find four bodies before this whole ruckus will end. It goes for the second victim as well, and the three dolls that were found. We would find three more bodies, including the second person, then case closed."

I mumbled to myself, quietly. I worked alone; no one but Watari is here with me.

"Hmm, Quarter Queen was killed four days later. She was only 13 years old. She too was drugged, but her skull had received a blunt force. Her eyes were also crushed in further post-modern mutilation."

Picking up sugar cubes with just my index finger and thumb, and plopped it into my mouth. While chewing on the sugary substance, I dropped about ten sugar cubes into my coffee before taking another sip.

"Next victim: Backyard Bottomslash. 28 year old female. She was killed by internal hemorrhage. She had died of blood loss, with her right leg and left arm cut off. The right leg was discovered in the bathtub, but the left arm was never found. Seems like the killer likes to keep body parts."

Looking back at my computer screen, I opened up the autopsy results for each victim. Zooming in each picture of every victim's body to look for more hints. _Hmm. These slashes don't look like they were done randomly, but rather more carefully and deliberately. What if we look at it in a different angle? _Flipping the pages upside-down and other angles to get a better view of the slashes or what they form.

**? POV **

_The Greatest Detective L, huh? He's taking on my case. Too bad, I won't be able to see his reaction when he sees my face, or maybe I will! I know I don't look different and surely he'll recognize my face. It's quite hard to forget really. Detective L. Oh how much I want to torture him, just like in his past. To hit him, yell at him, things I did to my victims and more! He took everything from me! He took away the only two people I love! Yet, there he is, not caring what he did to me! I'll be, Detective L, the greatest, no WORLD'S GREATEST CRIMINAL! I'll beat L Lawliet! This case will never be solved! Lawliet wont be able to put the criminal to justice! Because he won't be able to catch the criminal! _I let out an eerie laugh, one that would put all God Of Deaths' laugh to shame.

**L Lawliet's POV**

I realized the slashes weren't normal ones. They had formed letters. Bringing my thumb to the corner of my mouth, I listed the letters on a piece of paper.

First Victim had the letters: B, E, Y, and O. Second victim had the letters: N, D, B, I, R.

Looking at the first six letters, my eyes widen in realization. The letters formed BEYOND. "I'm becoming paranoid. However if the next letters form Birthday…but it can't be possible! He's died right? No one knows of him, but my parents, the doctor and I! And the former two are dead!"

_Is it possible he survived? It's highly unlikely, but…NO! _The last victim finishes the name, unfortunate for Lawliet. The last letters were T, H, D, A, and Y. All letters together you get BEYOND BIRTHDAY!

_My dear brother, B. Someone I didn't know existed anymore. Someone I believed to be long dead 20 years ago. Beyond Birthday is alive? _Jumping out of my chair, gaping at the computer screen with eyes as big as dinner plates, looking at the name of my brother I believe was deceased for too long.

"Sir, are you alright? What is it that you found?" I heard Watari questioned.

"I found out who the murderer is…" My voice almost broke when I replied.

"That's great, isn't it? You get to arrest him now! Who is he?"

" My…"

_Silence_…

"Your?"

"Twin brother."

Watari gasped. He knew everything about me. He was the one that found me in the tree house the day my parents died. He was the one that took me to an orphanage for the above average kids to reach their potential level. "How?"

The only thing I could think of was a simple, "I don't know."

**Beyond's POV**

Watching the room that contained Lawliet and his only friend, Watari. _I guess it was a good idea to put cameras in his room. Seems like he's figuring out who the murderer is. _

"I found out who the murderer is…" a smirk appeared on my face. _So you know, huh? _

"That's great, isn't it? You get to arrest him now! Who is he?" _Oh it's not so great when the murderer is a very close person to you! _My smirk grew wider while I leaned back in my soft, comfortable chair listening to Lawlie-pop's conversation.

" My…" _That's right tell them who I am Lawlie-pop! _

_Silence_…

"Your?"

"Twin brother."

A sickening smile spread across my face. I leaned forward, and turned off the television that showed what happened in my brother's room.

"Guess it's time to send a little hint on who the next victim is."

**? POV **

_Why can't this plane move any faster! I… I need to get there before. NO! I mustn't think that! Oh dear, please, you guys, can't you just get along. Oh B, please don't do anything you might regret._

"Thank you for boarding the Japanese Airlines. We have landed in Los Angeles. You may leave the plane in an orderly fashion!"

_Thank you! _I yelled in my head, grabbing my bag and running off the plane. _B, if you already did your plan. I'll kill you…well I mean… AH! Just forget it._ Shaking my head I mumbled. "Geesh, I'm talking to myself now…I'm going insane."

**Lawliet's POV**

"Sir, Sir!"

"Hmm, yes?" I finally broke my gaze with the strawberry cake, turning my head to Watari.

"You got a letter."

"From whom? No one knows where my location is!" I took a piece of the cake while speaking.

"Beyond Birthday."

_Clink. _ My fork clashing against the plate, I sat frozen in place at my chair after hearing the response of Watari. My hand was half way towards my mouth, which was hanging open. _Beyond sent a letter? A clue? A note? What is it? There's a 96% chance it is a clue and 4% chance it is a note… _

" Ah. Yes. Thank you Watari." Finally grabbing the yellow-orange envelope from him, as calmly as I could.

I saw Watari nod, in the corner of my eye and slowly walking away to give me privacy. _Kind old man he is, _I thought while opening the "gift" from Beyond, which read:

_ Dear Lawlie-pop, _

_First of all, like your nickname? Mm, probably not, but oh well. However just as you know this letter contains a clue. You most likely figured out the one who killed all those people was I. If you didn't which is highly unlikely, oh well! The answer to this riddle is your hint of who the next victim is. Hint: there are two ways to solve this riddle. You could either look up and down. Though if you can't, hopefully you know your alphabet and how to count, Lawlie-pop! _

**Beneath things I did**

_**Even I am human**_

_**Yet no**_

_**One believes**_

_**Never will they want to come near for the things that occurred**_

_**Do they lock up the people like me because I am**_

_**Beyond what they believe**_

_**I do the things I do, I make mistakes, but I'm only human**_

_**Really I am**_

_**Truth is I feel unwanted, unloved, a shadow**_

_**How is this possible?**_

_**Didn't I receive love from my parents? Wrong I was**_

_**Abandoned…sad isn't it?**_

_**Yet I still love them**_

_**Or do I?**_

_**Ryuzaki. That's your alias right?**_

_**Let me tell you something**_

_**All this time even**_

_**Without being near you or knowing you**_

_**Lawlie-pop**_

_**I hate you, however**_

**Even if I do, I still love you, now which**

_**To pick the letter with number 2 or the letter with number 12? Oh this is a hard one to**_

_**chose**_

_There's your riddle my sweet, older brother! Just so you know, you must figure out the answer of the riddle before August 15, 2002. Because the following day, you must meet me at the park, one block away from where you are staying. Meet me there at exactly 7 o'clock at night, the center of the park. Alone too. Good luck my beloved twin brother!_

_From your so called deceased Brother,_

_B, BB, or as our parents named me: Beyond Birthday_

_Ps: I'm looking forward in meeting you Lawlie-pop…Don't disappoint me!_

"Judging by his actions and IQ, Beyond can be the world's greatest criminal… he probably already is."

Glancing at the letter one more time, my thumb found its way to my mouth, and chewing on it, I was in deep thought.

Look up and down? I must know my alphabet and know how to count? A smile grew on my face, one that went from ear to ear. I love riddles, besides for this riddle you need to use logic, I'm sure of it!

Taking a quick glance at the calendar, I realized I only had two days left until I meet Beyond, it was August 14. "Better figure out who the victim is and fast."

**The Next Morning (L's POV) **

I was staring at the paper, for hours on end. Six hours straight, I've been trying to figure out if I was correct on whom the victim is. The name of the victim, it sends chills up and down my spine. I know who Beyond is going to kill. I just don't want to believe it. It seems too unreal. Why must it come to this end? Isn't there another way out?

**The meeting Day: 6:50 pm (B's POV) **

My legs were swinging back and forth, while my hands were placed on the branch beneath me. I knew he figured the riddle out. I haven't been watching him, I couldn't see his reaction, but I knew he did. He isn't the world's greatest detective for nothing.

Reaching behind my back, caressing the gun that rested in its holster. Glanced at my watch clock, which read 6:55 pm, five more minutes to go, until Lawlie-pop shows up. Thing is I don't know which to pick yet; letter with number 2 or letter with number 12. However before I chose I need to know why. Why my parents- oh looks like he's here!

"So you did come?" Lawlie-pop looked up. A lollipop was in my mouth, I was wearing the same thing as him, but instead of white, I had a black-long-sleeve shirt and a smile plastered on my face.

"Of course, I did."

"Why?"

**Lawliet's POV **

"So you did come?"

I looked up from where I heard the voice. A small gasp came from my mouth. He looks exactly like me. A lollipop in his mouth, baggy blue jeans, a black-long-sleeve shirt, messy black hair, big eyes and a smile making its way to his face, this is how Beyond looks like. Before I replied, I noticed his eyes were red, instead of grey like mine. "Of course I did."

"Why?"

"Why?" He nodded.

"Not only to stop you from destroying your next victim, but to finally meet you."

He let out a small cheerful yet eerie laugh. Finishing his laugh; he jumped down from the branch, swiftly landing in front of me.

"Nice to finally meet you L Lawliet. Or as I like to call you, Lawlie-pop!"

"Same here Beyond. However, I wish the reason why we are meeting was different."

He grinned, before nodding his head in agreement.

**Beyond's POV **

I opened my mouth to say something, though was cut off by Lawlie-pop. "Before telling you, who I believe the victim's name. Tell me why you are doing this? Killing, I mean." He explained.

"YOU!" I bellowed.

He pointed to himself with a confused look. I only nodded to respond to his unsaid question.

"OUR PARENTS ABANDONED ME! THEY KEPT YOU! THEY ONLY WANTED YOU! OH HOW I LONG TO BE WITH YOU AND THEM. TO FEEL LOVE! THEY HATED ME! THEY WANTED ME TO DIE! SO THEY LEFT ME THERE AT THAT HORRIBLE HOSPITAL! IF I BEAT YOU, THE SON THEY CHERISHED, THEY'LL LOVE ME! THEIR WATCHING FROM HEAVEN AND WHEN I TOP YOU, LEAVE THIS CASE UNSOLVED, I…. THEY'LL FEEL PROUD OF ME! THAT'S WHY I'M DOING THIS!"

Tears flowed down my face. My shoulders shook up and down. My eyes focused on the ground the whole time I screamed, my hair hid my face.

Looking up, I saw Lawlie-pop, doing something I didn't expect. He was shaking.

Plop. Plop. He was crying? Why? My question, which was unvoiced, was soon to be answered.

**Lawliet's POV **

"YOU'RE WRONG!" My face snapped upwards, my eyes narrowed to glare at Beyond.

"THEY DIDN'T LOVE ME! THEY THOUGHT YOU DIED. THAT'S WHY THEY LEFT YOU! THEY CRIED OVER YOU! AND YOU KNOW WHAT THEY DID TO ME?" Beyond shook his head. I clenched my fists, trying to regain my temper to a lower level.

"THEY THOUGHT IT WAS MY FAULT. MY FAULT THAT YOU DIED! THEY HATED **ME! **NOT YOU! THEY DIDN'T EVEN NAME ME!" more sobs racked through my body. I heard B gulp.

I turned my voice into a whisper, "They were disappointed in me. Father beat me senseless for doing the tiniest things wrong! Do you wonder what happened to my back? Father threw me out the window. Trying to kill me. Instead, now I live with a crimpled back… never to be fixed ever again." I finished. I knew Beyond already knew father killed himself and mom, there was no need to say it.

Taking a deep breath, a question raised, "Which one, B?" B look confused, he titled his head to the side.

"The letter with number 2 or the letter with number 12. Or in simple words, B or L?"

Silence

"My life or yours, B?"

Beyond's POV

"My Life or yours, B?" Taking a deep breath, I started to recall what just happened moments ago.

**? POV **

_ I had to make it in time. Before Beyond… NO! He wouldn't. I know it. If he just knew the truth about his parents, he wouldn't follow his plan. _

Running through the trees to reach the center of the park, I thought, _When I get there, both of them better be alive! Lawliet. Beyond. Please don't be dead! _

Running faster and faster I knew I was near the center. That's when I heard it… Lawliet's voice, "My life or yours, B?" However it was only a whisper like, I was still too far away.

B's POV

Finally coming to a decision, I raised my hand that held my gun, slowly. "I know who to choose!"

**? POV **

"I know who to choose!"

_NOOO! _Trying my best to run faster, I tripped on a branch. While falling I heard the familiar _**BANG! **_

Beyond has shot someone: Himself or L?

Lifting my head, I could finally see them. Moving a piece of hair out of my brown eyes, I notice something. Only one person was standing, not two. It was too dark to identify them as either L or B that was standing and who was kneeling.

**Narrative POV**

Beyond knowing the full truth of why his parents abandoned him. Why they kept Lawliet instead of both of them. Lawliet finally sees his brother, whom he believed was deceased for two long decades. However, the reunion isn't a happy one, but it would be memorable all right.

Who was the one that fallen? Who survived? Who is this mysterious person that popped out of nowhere? And how does she have a connection with Lawliet and Beyond? What is her connection with the brothers?


End file.
